‘I’ll never forget his gesture’ – Neymar opens up on meeting Maradona as a teenager

Neymar has opened up on an unforgettable early assembly with Diego Maradona as he paid tribute to the 1986 World Cup winner, who passed away from a heart attack last week. 

The Paris Saint-Germain attacker scored twice on Wednesday night time as he guided his aspect to a 3-1 win over Manchester United within the Champions League. 

Whereas Neymar has been family identify for over a decade now, the Brazilian star crossed paths with Maradona when he was solely simply beginning to present his promise for Santos. 

Certainly one of their earlier exchanges was one Neymar will always remember with Maradona going out of his strategy to make a younger boy really feel welcome and even making certain the duo bought a photograph collectively. 

“I had just some contacts with Maradona, however I am going to always remember the one after I was 12 or 13 years previous,” Neymar advised Eleven Sports.

“I used to be simply beginning at Santos and I went to look at a present match between Brazil and Argentina – a sport between former gamers.

“Because the Brazilian staff’s bus had been already full, I could not go along with them, so that they put me onto Argentina’s bus. There have been two guys highlighted in there, as a result of they had been sitting within the first seats: they had been [Alejandro] Mancuso and Maradona.

“So that they put me alongside them and handled me very properly. So properly that, after we arrived within the stadium, they took me to Argentina’s locker room and onto the sector.

“I also have a photograph with Maradona, from after I was a little bit. He referred to as me over to take that image. I am going to always remember his gesture.

“On the pitch he was an icon for everyone, positive. For me as properly, however I’ve at all times revered him as an athlete and as a footballer. I’ll always remember that.” 

Neymar is not any stranger to proficient Argentine footballers and expressed his desire to play with Lionel Messi again on Wednesday night time. 

The duo spent 4 seasons collectively at Barcelona and the PSG ahead has declared they have to be reunited subsequent season with Messi’s contract at Camp Nou because of expire. 

“What I would like essentially the most is to get pleasure from taking part in with him once more,” Neymar advised ESPN. “For positive, subsequent 12 months we now have to do it.”